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Patented Dec. 2, I890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT (lemon.

STEPHEN D. TUCKER, OF'NElV YORK, N. Y.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR WEB-PRINTING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent ITO. 441,811, dated December 2, 1890.

Original application filed February 26, 1883, Serial No. 86,264. Divided and thisapplication filed July 2. 1890. Serial No. 357,555. (No model.) Patented in England October 3, 1881, No. 4,285.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN D. TUCKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Delivery Mechanism for \Veb-Printing Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, (the said improvements being embraced in British Letters Patent to lVilliam ConqitesigNo. 4,285, dated October 3, 1881.)

In order to produce newspapers at the speed required by most of the large establishments 'of the present day, it is necessary to use rocylinder and to provide the same with a plurality of impressioircylinders, so that by printing the first side of a web, turning it over, and presenting its opposite side to the form-cylinder both of its sides may be successively printed from the same forms of type. In such case, of course, both sides of the web will contain the same printed matter; but the travel of the web between the printing of its opposite sides is so distanced that the inside pages of the sheet upon the side of the web will fall opposite the outside pages of the sheet upon the opposite side of the'web, and vice versa. \Vhen printing is done directly from the type on acylinder, it is necessary to make the cylinder of a comparativelylarge size, as in practice it is found impossible to successfully secure ordinary parallel type onto a cylinder as small as those commonly employed in web-printin g machines which print from stereotype-plates. \Vhen 'a cylinder of sufficient size to successfully carry the forms in type is used, it will be found so large that the forms for printing both sides of an ordinary newspaper will occupy very much less than its whole circumference. This last fact makes necessary, in order that the web may receive continuous printing, the use of register-rolls and an increased number ofimpression-cylinders, so that the forms may be enabled to make two or more duplicate and succeeding impressions upon each side of the Web at each revolution of the form-cylinder. In machines of this kind the columns of type must run lengthwise of the cylinder, and in order to properly print a web on both its sides the heads of onehalf the forms must point in one direction and the heads of the remaining half in the opposite direction. \Vhen the web is cut into sheets, it is desirable to deliver by themselves all sheets whose heads lie in the same direction. If they are to be delivered open, two

sheet-fliers are used. If they are to be folded,

ing had to the accompanying drawings, form-.

ing a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 showsin side elevation a printing mechanism of the character specified provided with a delivery apparatus arranged to print and fold an ordinary folio or four-page newspaper. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale of the folding-cylinders shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa plan view of the same. Figs. 5, G, and '7 are diagrammatic sections of the same cylinders, showing the parts in different positions. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing a modification, and Fig. 9 shows the order in which the impressions occur.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the printing apparatus is adapted to operate upon two webs simultaneously; but the mechanism will be described in connection with its operation upon only one web, it being understood that the operation of the printing mechanism on the other side of the cylinder is the same as that described and that a delivery mechanism of the same or any other desired form may be combined therewith at the other end of the machine.

The printing mechanism shown in the present case is substantially the same as that shown in Letters Patent No. 367,123, granted to me July 26, 1887, and consists of a formcylinder A, which is of the usual construction and of a size sufficient to permit ordinary type to be'securely fastened to its periphery. This cylinder is mounted in hearings in an appropriate frame, and is provided with means for carrying four forms of type, which, for convenience, it will be assumed are of a size suitable for printing the four pages of an ordinary folio or four-page newspaper. forms are arranged in pairs located diametrically opposite each other upon the cylinders, each pair occupying one-fourth of its circu mference, the columns of' matter lying, as is necessary in machines of this class, parallel with the axis of the cylinder, and the formsbeing so arranged that those for printing pages 3 2 and 1 1 will as the cylinder revolves follow each other in the order named around the cylinder.

Phespaces upon the cylinder between the groups of forms are occupied by ink-distributing tables or surfaces, which are supplied with ink from a fountain in the usual manner, the ink being taken from the tables and supplied to the forms by the ordinary inking mechanism represented by the rolls 11, as in the manner of the well-known Hoe type-revolving press.

side of the web at each revolution of the cylinder. To accomplish this four impressioncylinders B O D E and two register-rolls 12 13 are provided. The web is led from its roll around the first impression-cylinder B, thence outward around the register-roll 12, and thence inward around the second impressioncylinder 0. The register-roll 12 is placed at such a distance from the impression-cylinders B O that the. advance edge of the impression on the Web given by the first pair of forms against cylinder B will arrive upon cylinder 0 just in time to exactly join with the rear edge of the impression given by the same pair of for-ms against that cylinder. From this it results that this pair of forms makes two impressions upon the web in succession, the second impression being just in advance of the first. Following the rear edge of the impres- These j sion made by this pair of forms against cylinder B will be a blank space equal to the space upon the form-cylinder between the groups offorms. At the end of this space the second pair of forms will make an impression upon the web against cylinder B, and passing to cylinder 0 will make a second impression just in advance of the first, which second impression will just join the impression given by the first pair of forms upon cylinder B, and thus fill the blank space referred to. This operation being repeated at each revolution of the 'form'cylinder, one side of the web will be Wholly covered, the pages occurring twice in succession,'as 3 2 3 2 4: 1 4 1, as shown in Fig. 9. After passing the impression-cylinder C, the web, now printed upon one side, is conducted around guide-rolls 14 and a web-turner I, which operates to reverse t-he web, so that its unprinted side is presented to the forms as it passes around impression-cylinders D E. After passing cylinder D, the web passes outward around register-roll 13, and thence inward around cylinder E. The operation of the form-cylinder, in connection with impression-cylinders D E, to print the side of the web now presented is exactly the same as that already described in connection with cylinders B O for printing the first side of the web, and therefore needs no further description. The distance traveled by the web between cylinders C and E will be so regulated by the position of the rolls 14, one or more of whichmay be adjustable, that the impression made by the for-ms exact register; but pages 3 2 will be backed by forms 4 1, and vice versa.

In putting the forms onto the cylinder A the heads of the forms 3 2 are placed to the left of the machine as it is represented in j Fig. 1 and the heads of forms A 1 are placed Inasmuch as the forms cover only onehalf the circumference of the type-cylinder, it be- 1 comes necessary, as hereinbefore set forth, in order to print the whole surface of the web, that each form should act twice upon each to the right. When the web has been printed on one side and turned over and the pages 3 2 have been backed by the forms 4 1, and vice versa, as has been explained, it will be apparent that the heads of the pages in register on opposite sides of the web will point in the same direction, and also that two succeeding sheets will have their heads to the front and two to the rear alternately, ,as shown on the printed web Fig. 9. The printed web on leaving the last impression-cylinder E passes between the cutting-cylinders G H, by which it is partially severed into sheets on the lines 00 01:, Fig. 9, and then enters between two series of accelerated tapes a b. The tapes a passaround pulleys 15, under pulleys 16 17, over pulleys 18, under pulleys 19, over pulleys 20, and under pulleys 21 to pulleys 15. The tapes b pass around pulleys 22, over pulleys 23 24, under pulleys 16 17, over pulleys 18, under pulleys 25, over pulleys 26, and-under pulleys 27 to pulleys 22. As the leading edges of the sheets arrive at the nipping-pulleys 16 24, they are parted from the web and working-spaces gained between them in the usual manner as they are conveyed by the tapes to the folding-cylinders M N.

The printing mechanism above described may also be provided with tapes 0, arranged as shown and described in my patent, No.

367,123, before referred to, for conducting the leading end of the web through the machine.

In folding newspapers it is requisite, however small the paper may be folded up, that the title'or heading on the first page should always be left in sight. Now, it is obvious from an inspection of the printed web, Fig. 9,

which represents the web as it issues from the printing-machine above described, that to accomplish this it is necessary that the two succeeding sheets having pages 3 2 uppermost must be folded through their center margins in one direction and the next two sheets having pages 4 1 uppermost must be folded in the opposite direction to bring page 1 on the outside. In the construction shown in the present case I accomplish this by providing two folding mechanisms arranged to fold sheets in opposite directions, and combine therewith a switch or sheet-director, which operates to direct sheets alternately to these folding mechanisms, so that two sheets will be taken by one folding mechanism and folded in one direction, and then two sheets by the second folding mechanism and folded in the opposite direction. 7

The folding mechanism may be of any suitable form,but preferably consistsof two folding-cylinders M N, which are mounted in a frame-work and geared together to run in unison and receive motion from the impressioncylinder 0 or some other suitable part of the printing mechanism through the train of intermediate gears 28. These folding-cylinders are each furnished with a set of grippers 1,

to fold their two successive sheets at equal intervals by folding them at their alternate revolutions, thus reducing the operations of all the folding devices one-half and permitting them to operate at a correspondingly reduced speed. This may be effected, as shown, by removing one of the blades of the rotating folder, so that the remaining blade will only be in an operative position at each second revolution of its cylinder, the folder being constructed and operated as described in my United States Letters Patent No. .Zl4,066, or the folder may be arranged in any othersuitable manner for folding at alternate revolutions. The gripper-cams will be so brought into and out of action as to cause the grippers to co-operate with the folding-blades, as explained hereinafter. The folding-cylinand revolve from each other at the top, the

sheets, as they issue from between the rollers 19 25, being directed to their respective cylinders by a vibrating switch or sheet-director 3. This switch and the grippers 2 are operrated as follows: The cylinder M has on its shaft a pinion 29, which drives a cam-wheel 30, of four times its size, this wheel being provided with cam-grooves 4 5 upon its opposite sides for operating the gripper-cams and switch, respectively. The grip per-cams 32 are mounted upon rock-shafts 33, from which extend arms 34, the ends of which are connected to rods 35, provided with studs 10, which rest in opposite sides of the groove 4 of the cam wheel 30, so that the wheel, as it revolves, will rock the gripper-cams in and out of action alternately, in accordance with the movement of the folding blades. The groove 5 in the rear side of the wheel embraces a stud 6, projecting from the forked rod 7, the upper end of which is jointed to an arm 8 on the shaft 9 of the switch. The shape of the groove 5is such that it will cause the switch 3 to direct two sheets in succession to each cylinder. The cylinder M folds between two folding-rolls 36, around which pass two series of tapes cl e, these tapes passing from the folding-rolls 36 around the rolls 37 and inward over the folding-rolls 39 to the stop 40, whence they diverge, the tapes d returning around roll 41 directly to folding-rolls 36, and the tapes 6 around rolls 42 43 44 to the same. The folding-cylinder N folds between a pair of folding-rolls 45, from which extend two series of tapes f 9. These tapes f g pass from rolls 45 around rolls 46 47 inward over roll 48 to the stop 49,whence they diverge, the tapes f returning around roll 50 to the folding-rolls 45, and the tapes greturning around rolls 51 52 53 to the same. The folding-rolls 39 48 are shown herein as formed of onecon tinuous roll, the two ends of which form the respective foldingrolls, the rolls 42 51 being cut midway of their lengths to permit the rolls 39 48 to pass transversely to them. It will be understood, however, that the rolls 39 48 may be independent rolls, if preferred, in which case the rolls 42 51 may be continuous. The sheets from cylinder M are folded between the foldingrolls 39 by a vibrating folding-blade O of a common construction, whence they pass into the control of tapes h 2 by which they are carried downward from rolls 39 between rolls 54, extending centrally of the machine directly below rolls 39. The tapes 7b are a series of short up-and-down tapes extending only between the rolls 39 and 54. The tapes c', however, extend around one of the rolls 54 and outward to the front side of the machine over roll 55, carrying the sheet over another pair of folding-rolls 56, between which the sheet is folded by a vibrating folding-blade P and is laid by a vibrating fly 57 upon a series of slowly-movin g delivery-tapes k. The

sheets from cylinder N are folded between slowly-moving tapes n at the rear side of the machine, the sheets from cylinders M N thus being delivered on the samelevel at the same end-of the machine, but upon opposite sides of the machine.

/Vit-h the mechanism as thus described, let it be supposed that the first sheet as it issues from between rolls 19 has pages 3 2 on its upper side with their heads to the rear, as described in conn ection with the printing 'mechanism. This sheet is directed by the switch 3 to the cylinder N, as shown in Fig. 3, so that pages 3 2 are next the cylinder and pages 1 4 on the outside.

tion during the first revolution of the cylinder, the sheet will be taken and folded be tween the rolls 45, as shown in Fig. 5, from whence it will be taken by the tapes f g and conveyed outward and then downward and inward over the folding-rolls 48 to the stop 49,whence it'willhe folded byvibrating blade Q between the folding-rolls 48. As this first sheet has the pages 3 2 next to the cylinder N with their heads toward the rear of the machine, as described, the sheet will be folded between rolls with pages 4 1 on the out side, .and the sheet will be carried over the folding-rolls 48 with page 1 facing downward, so that the sheet is folded between rolls 48 with page 1 on the outside. The sheet then passes underthe control of tapes m over the folding-rolls 59, between which the sheet will be folded by folding-blade R, thus leaving the title or heading exposed across both its sides. The sheet is then laid by fly on tapes n and delivered atthe end of the machine on the rear side. The second sheet will also be directed to and taken by the cylinder N at its second revolution; but as the single blade 2 of the cylinder is now turned inward the sheet will now be folded, and as the cam-groove 4 has in the lneantimerocked the gripper-cam 32 out of operative position the gripper 1 is not raised and the sheet is not released, but carried around again, as shown in Fig. 6. The cam-groove 5 will now have rocked the arm 8 so as to move the switch 3 to its opposite position, so that the third sheet with pages 4 l on its upper side and with their heads to the front will be directed to the cylinder M, and as the grippercam 4 and folding-blade of this cylinder will be in operative position, as will also the gripper-cam and foldingblade of the cylinder N,

As the gripper-cam 4 and I rotating folding-blade are in operative post having pages 3 2 next the cylinder,will be delivered as previously described in connection with the first sheet taken by the cylinder. The sheet taken by cylinder lVL'havingpages 4 1 on its upper side, will pass around the cylinder with the pages 4 1 upon the outside of the cylinder and will be folded between the rolls 36 and into the control of the tapes d e, with pages 4 1 on the outside, and will pass to folding-rolls 39 with page 1 downward. As described in connection with cylinder .N,-there-. fore, this third sheet will also be folded with page 1 upon the outside and delivered by tapes 70 at the end, but on the front side of the machine. The fourth sheet will also be directed to and taken by the cylinder M but at the fourth revolution the single blade will will be taken by the cylinder N, and this sheet will be folded through the rolls 45 simultaneously with the folding of the fourth sheet on cylinder M through rolls 36'. The sixth sheet will also be taken by cylinder M, but will not be folded at this revolution, but will be carried around and folded at the seventh revolution of the cylinder simultaneously with the seventh sheet, which will have been taken by the cylinder M, and so the operation will continue to be repeated.

In the organization shown in Fig. 8 the sheets are folded at equal intervals, as already described, and the devices, though somewhat changed in form, perform precisely the same functions as in the previous arrangement. The folding-cylinders M N revolve toward each other at the top, and the sheets are directed to their respective cylinders by a vibrating guide or sheet-director 61, formed of two plates, between which the sheets pass. The cylinder M has on its shaft a pinion 62, which drives a wheel 63 of four times its size, and this cam-wheel has a can1- groove 64 formed in its side and so shaped that by means of the forked rod 66, the stud 67 of which rests-in the cam-groove, and the rock-arm 68, fixed to the shaft 69 of the sheetguide 61, theg'uide is caused to oscillate and deliver two sheets in succession to each cylinder. The grippers may be operated by either revolving or stationary cams so shaped as to cause the grippers to properly co-operate with the rotating folding-blades 2, which in this construction are double-edged, as shown, and are caused to operate only at alternate revolutions of their cylinders in the manner shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 191,494. The course of the tapes d e and fg in this construction is changed so as to carry the sheets from cylinders M N outward over foldingrolls 39 48, instead of inward, as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 7. The tapes (Z 6 pass from thcrolls 36 around roll outward to the stop 40 and then diverge, the tapes cl returning over rolls 71 72 and the tapes e over rolls 7 3 7 4 to the foldin g-rolls, the course of the tapes f 9 being sub stantially the same, passing from rolls 45 over roll 75, thence outward over the folding-rolls 48 to the stop 49 and diverging, the tapes f returning over rolls 76 77 and the tapes g over rolls 78 79. The delivery mechanism beyond the folding-rolls 39 48 is the same as that shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 to 7. On account of the direction in which the cylindersrevolve, the sheets having pages 3 2 on their right-hand side as they issue from the rolls 19 25 must be taken by the cylinder M in order that pages 4 1 may be folded on the outside, and those having pages 4 1 on their right-hand side must be taken by cylinder N, reversing the order of taking sheets from that shown and described in connection with Figs. 1- to 7; but otherwise the order and manner of taking and folding the sheets and the operation of the cylinders and vibrating sheetdirector are exactly the same as previously described.

The form-cylinder in printing mechanisms of the class hereinbefore described is not always made of such size that the forms cover only one-half of its circumference. If the paper to be printed is of small size, the forms may cover only one-third or one-fourth of the cylinder, in which case the number of impression -cylinders, and consequently the number of successive impressions made by each form at each revolution of the form-cylinder, will be proportionately increased. In such case the sheet-directors and folding'cylinders M N will be so operated that instead of each cylinder taking two sheets in succession they will take three, four, or more successive sheets, according to the number of impression-eylinders. So also in some cases, when the forms are numerous or of large size, they may cover the entire surface of the formcylinder, in which case only a single impression-cylinder will be used for each side of the web, and in such case the folding-cylinders will take alternate sheets instead of alternate pairs or series of sheets, so that in above referred to, the printing mechanism is capacitated for avariety of products, and the folding mechanism may readily be arranged so as to properly deliver the other products of the printing mechanism.

\Vhile I have shown and described only a single form of' folding mechanism and two forms of means by which the sheets may be delivered alternately to the folding mechanisms, it will be understood that any other folding mechanisms arranged to fold in opposite directions may be used and that the mechanism for directing the sheets to the cylinders may be varied widely by one skilled in the art without departing from my invention.

This application is a division of my application No. 86,264, filed February 26, 1883.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a single type or form cylinder and a plurality of impressioncylinders and register-rolls arranged to print both sides of a web from the same forms, of Web-severing mechanism,t-wo folding mechanisms arranged to fold sheets in opposite directions, and means for directing sheets alternately to said folding mechanisms, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a single type or form cylinder and a plurality of impressioncylinders and register-rolls arranged to print both sides of a web from the same forms, of web-severing mechanism, two folding mechanisms arranged to fold the sheets in opposite directions, and means for directing series of sheets alternately to said folding mechanisms, substantially as described.

The combinatioinwith two folding mechanisms arranged to 'fold sheets in opposite directions, of a vibratory sheet-director from which the folding mechanisms receive sheets directly, and means for causing said director to alternate between said mechanisms, sub stantially as described.

4. The combination, with two folding mechanisms arranged to fold sheets in opposite directions, of a vibratory sheet-director from which the folding mechanisms receive sheets directly, and means for causing said director to present a plurality of sheets to said folding mechanisms alternately, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with two folding-cylin' ders, of avibratory sheet-director and means for causing said director to alternate between said cylinders, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with two folding-eylinders, of a vibratory sheet-director and means for causing said director to presenta plurality of sheets to said cylinders alternately, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with two folding-cylinders, of a vibratory sheet-director, means for causing said director to alternate between said cylinders, and means for operating the IOC sheet controlling devices of said cylinders to fold a sheet from both cylinders simultaneously, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with two folding-cylinders, of a Vibratory sheet-director, means for causing said director to present a plurality of sheets to said cylinders alternately, and means for actuating the sheet-controlling devices of said cylinders to fold a sheet from both cyl- 

